3/29/2018

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), has posted a new listing of 27 social-behavioral research laws and regulations recently on their website. The standards posted were developed in several countries around the world like Australia, Canada, France, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States (U.S.). One of the regulations issued was implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and they must be followed by any site conducting a study being funded by the governmental agency.

HHS consists of several agencies and offices that all work together to enhance and defend Americans by providing services that help further medical research. One of the offices that is apart of HHS is the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP). OHRP incorporates an international program that ensures research participants outside of the U.S. with the equivalent protection as those in the U.S. This body is also responsible for the gathering and compilation of these new social-behavioral standards.

The new listing of social-behavioral research principles can be found on two tables both listed alphabetically by country providing information on the standard and the analysis. The tables provide the URL address and chapter number of the standard, page amounts, the primary purpose, legal status, focus of the specific topic, and more. Making certain your HHS studies are abiding by these new rules is imperative and will ensure the safety of your subjects.